How To: Bleach Knots on Lace Closures

So, here we are. You’ve purchased one of our many lace closures to complete your amazing sew-in, but upon further inspection, you’d like to customize it, so that it looks even more natural. We’ve all heard about “bleaching knots” when it comes to frontals, closures, and lace wigs, but what does that even mean?

When hair is tied to a lace base, there is a dark knot where each strand is secured. Bleaching or “lightening” these knots reduces their visibility, and helps make the hair appear as if it is growing from the scalp.

Bleaching knots can be quite difficult if you don’t have proper instructions, so we’ve put together a simple tutorial to show you how.

Here are the things you will need:

• Bleach
• Developer (at the correct volume)
• Aluminum Foil
• Mixing Bowl
• Mixing Brush
• Your Closure/Frontal/Lace Wig

Step 1

Turn either your frontal, closure or lace wig inside out and pin it down to a foam head.

*If your closure has baby hairs, pin them down with clips to make sure they are out of the way.

Step 2 

Mix equal parts bleach powder and professional developer in a mixing bowl.  Be sure to stir thoroughly until you achieve the desired consistency, or until there are no lumps in the bowl.

Step 3

With your mixing brush, gently, and we do mean gently, dab the bleach onto the lace. If you put too much pressure onto the lace with the brush, the bleach mixture will leak through and bleach the hair. Make sure you apply enough bleach to the lace to ensure you are bleaching all of the knots. Once you’re done applying the bleach, cover the lace closure in the aluminum foil.

Step 4

Make sure you keep the bleach on until the knots on the closure aren’t noticeable anymore. Wait until the knots turn a honey blonde color then rinse the bleach out. This is very important because you want to wait until your closure becomes blonde, or you will have a brassy lace closure.

Step 5

Rinse the closure upside down quickly to avoid getting mixture onto the hair. After you rinse your closure out, wash it with a neutralizing shampoo to stop the chemical processing. Leave shampoo on closure for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse out.  Afterwards condition your closure to keep it from getting dried out.

Key Takeaways:

• Do not oversaturate your closure with bleach, as this could accidentally bleach the hair as well.
• Make sure you pick the correct developer volume – we recommend working with 20 to 30 volume.
• The bleach mixture needs to be really thick, not loose.
• Make sure all the baby hairs are brushed or pinned out of the way before you begin bleaching your closure.
• Make sure you apply enough bleach to cover all the knots.
• Leave the bleach on until your knots turn a honey blonde color then rinse the bleach out.
• Wash lace closure with a neutralizing shampoo to stop the processing of the chemicals from the bleach.

And there you have it, another day, another way to slay your closure, frontal, or lace front wig. This tutorial has been Outre-approved! If you have any other tips, tricks, questions or comments, let us know down below. We’re always looking for new ways to create a better hair experience for you all.